“Satire's nature is to be one-sided, contemptuous of ambiguity, and so unfairly selective as to find in the purity of ridicule an inarguable moral truth.”
― E.L. Doctorow

Thursday, April 30, 2015

A League of Their Rhône Rangers--Part Three

I wish someone would start a Syrah appreciation society, throw an annual Shirazapalooza. Is there one I don’t know about? For God’s Sake, Petite Sirah has a fan club! Really? Petite Sirah? It’s a hybrid variety, the feckless offspring of Syrah, not a grape as God intended. It’s the damned Bruce Jenner of varieties. Syrah deserves its own fan club outside of the Rhône Rangers. It’s nuts to me that so many people ignore the indisputable greatness of Syrah. When you start talking about the varieties that make the great wines of the world, you are an imbecile if you do not have Syrah near the top of that list, and an imbecile if you do have Petite Sirah on that list. No Durifs, ands or buts.

How did the unwashed public come to loathe Syrah? The tired old answer is that too much Syrah in California was planted in the wrong places and made crappy wine which turned folks off to the grape. But you could make the same argument about Pinot Noir and Chardonnay and Merlot, and they’re still selling a lot of wine. That argument about Syrah is a lazy answer. It’s almost become folklore. When I began drinking Syrah, it was a long time ago, and it was a lot of Rosemount Syrah from South Australia. I realize now what a lousy and manufactured wine that was, as bland and predictable as a Dave Koz concert. Now, of course, you have abominable wines like Yellow Tail Shiraz, which, if a wine can be heinous, is heinous (though if you remove the “h” from heinous you, amazingly, have its perfect aromatic descriptor). If you grew up drinking those cheap Australian Shirazes, as I did, you would have had no idea what Syrah tastes like. Maybe that’s where all this started.

I don’t have any idea what the first great Syrah I tasted might have been. Hell, I don’t remember what the first average Syrah I tasted was. It was probably from California, only because I didn’t really understand French wines early on in my wine tasting life, and rarely bought any. It was probably one of the early Joseph Phelps Syrahs. In the mid-80’s there were but a few hundred acres of Syrah in the state, and it is the late Joe Phelps who is credited with making the first Syrah in California back in the mid ’70's. The first vintages of Phelps Syrah were pretty lousy, if I recall correctly (but what did I know?), and they were followed by a lot of other pretty lousy California Syrahs from a lot of other producers. It would have been hard to fall in love with Syrah at the time based on the offerings from the Golden State.

Somehow, perhaps spurred on by my “discovery” of ’78 Rayas, I became enamored of the wines of the Rhône Valley. And once I found Hermitage, Côte-Rôtie and Cornas, I was a Syrah convert. I almost feel sorry for wine lovers who have never had the pleasure of drinking a well-aged Chave Hermitage, Jaboulet “La Chapelle” Hermitage, Clape Cornas, Rostaing Côte-Rôtie, Jamet Côte-Rôtie, Guigal “La Landonne,” and, well, maybe even a Chapoutier Ermitage “Le Pavillon.” Those are all crazy expensive now, and I’m being one of those overbearing wine name-droppers we all hate, but how in the world can Syrah, which produces these brilliant wines, not have its own party? It’s shameful.

No matter. There were quite a few wonderful Syrahs at the Rhône Rangers tasting this year. Though, admittedly, I didn’t get around to tasting as many as I would have liked. I had the time, but I didn’t have the willpower. In my glory day, I think it was a Tuesday in 1994, I would canvas a large tasting like this and taste at least an hour or two past when any human could reasonably assess a serious wine. The more one tastes, I think, the more one loses any chance at detecting subtlety or character, and those are two of the most important qualities of great wine. After tasting too many wines in a day, one shifts to simply detecting intensity, which is like judging music by how loud it is. So now, in my dotage, I stop tasting a lot sooner, content to have tasted fewer wines but, I hope, to have tasted them more consciously. Believe me, I see a lot of unconscious tasters at these events, many of whom go on to “rate” the wines. You know the ones, the ones who “tasted” 150 wines in two hours. Ignore them, if simply for their air of superiority. Ignore me because I’m unimportant.

I’ve written previously about Steve Law and his MacLaren Syrahs. Steve is an unabashed fan of wines from the Rhône Valley, a guy who has tasted widely of those wines, and so has a knowledge base that serves his wines well. I tasted eight MacLaren Syrahs, and there wasn’t a dud among them. The only other California producer I know of with that kind of consistency with Syrah is Adam Tolmach at The Ojai Vineyard (just a white Ford Bronco drive away from Santa Barbara), who I think is the best Syrah winemaker in the state. I’ve too often found that a California Syrah producer who makes a great Syrah one year, then makes a stinker the year after. There are dozens of reliable Cabernet producers, and reliable Pinot Noir wineries, but when it comes to Syrah, it seems like there are only a few—and most of them only make one or two different Syrahs. Steve makes several, and Adam makes even more. Their talent for Syrah dazzles.

Steve was showing both his 2011 and 2012 Syrah. I think he’s more passionate about wines from cooler vintages. He almost apologized for the ripeness of his ’12’s, which were, by most California standards, not that ripe at all. He might qualify for In Pursuit of Balance, only he makes unworthy Syrah. His newest vineyard for MacLaren made his best wines, I thought. The MacLaren 2011 Syrah Atoosa’s Vineyard is brilliant. Here’s an example of what I mean when I say you can buy world class Syrah for $40—not a statement you can make for Cabernet. It’s cool climate Syrah, and it shows in its beautiful lean-ness. It’s a champion greyhound of a wine, and I’m not talking buses. Distinctively spicy, with red brambly fruit, it has power and grace, and is absolutely delicious. The 2012 I liked even better. I think it’s just showier at an earlier age--Lindsay Lohan, without the emotional problems. Around 13% alcohol, it shows a lot fleshier and riper than that, which seems to be a characteristic of Atoosa’s Vineyard. Both are, to my palate, wonderful Syrah.

But I think you can buy any of MacLaren’s Syrahs and you’ll be happy you did. Each is distinctive, and you’ll find your own way. Just as you might prefer Cornas to St.-Joseph, or Crozes-Hermitage to Cornas, you might like MacLaren’s Samantha’s Vineyard (a vineyard DuMol uses as well for Syrah) a bit more than the Stagecoach. But they’re all good.

For me, a Rhône Rangers tasting isn’t complete without a visit with Steve Lagier and Carole Meredith of Lagier Meredith, a clever name, though "Steve Carole" might have hit it big when “The Office” was popular. I was lucky enough to be tasting at the Lagier Meredith table with Steve Eliot of Connoisseurs’ Guide, which is always a pleasure. And Carole is as forthright and honest about wine and the wine business as just about anyone I know, which makes her my kindred spirit. You get the feeling that if Lagier Meredith made crappy wine, she’d be the first one to say so. Luckily, the wines are always terrific. So it was great fun to taste there.

Steve Lagier was serving three vintages of their Mt. Veeder Syrah, the ’02, ’11, and ’12. Out of curiosity, I looked up the Parker scores for the wines, and the Lagier Meredith 2011 Syrah received the lowest score of any Lagier Meredith Syrah—90 pts. I was surprised, really. I thought this was lovely Syrah, and very reminiscent of Parker’s beloved Northern Rhône wines. I immediately thought of Cornas, with that tightness and structure that holds fruit with lots of promise, floral right now, with Syrah’s trademark white pepper and deep, dark fruit. My hunch is this will be a beauty a decade from now.

They had poured the 2002 Syrah at one of the seminars, and Steve had some left for the tasting, and it was beginning to show more of the smoky, roasted meat sort of character that older Syrah can develop. There’s still some available to buy on their website, and it’s a very, very nice older Syrah. The 2012 Syrah is certainly of a piece with the other two, the character of the vineyard shining through. Where I think the 2011 needs a lot of space to grow, the 2012 is already luscious. This doesn’t mean the 2012 won’t outlive the 2011, it probably will. But it is brimming with that dark blackberry and plum fruit, which almost overwhelms its floral aromatic aspect, but not quite. The Lagier Meredith 2012 Syrah was one of my favorite wines at the event. I know Carole and Steve know it, but you should, too—this wine comes from a very special site.

I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the Lagier Meredith 2012 Malbec (yes, I know Malbec is not a Rhône variety). Only 37 cases were produced, so you’ll have to buy it from their website (and you should). Steve Eliot and I agreed that it was topnotch Malbec. I cannot remember a Malbec from California that I liked anywhere near as much as I liked this Lagier Meredith wine. It won me over the minute I put my nose in the glass. Very pure, very sweet aromas of blackberry and black cherry. It just smells like something you want to eat. And as plush and as sexy as it is on the palate, it still has Malbec’s acidity and is not the least bit flabby. Someone buy me some of this.

I’ll briefly mention a couple of other Syrahs I liked. Tercero 2010 Syrah White Hawk Vineyard has lots of guts to it, intense and layered with dark fruit and that iron/meaty character of Syrah. Owner/winemaker Larry Schaffer seems to be indefatigible. You can almost feel his energy in his wines. I think that’s a compliment. Anyhow, this is terrific Syrah, and a good deal at $35. I also very much liked the Holly’s Hill 2010 Syrah Wylie-Fenaughty Vineyard. I won’t try to entice you to buy it because the website says it’s Sold Out. But Holly’s Hill is a great source for Rhône wines at very fair prices, so you should at least be aware of their name.

To those of you who actually read all this crap down to this last paragraph, thank you. To all the fine wineries whose tables I never got around to, you’re welcome. Next year, I’m not wearing my name tag. And maybe not my pants.

15 comments:

Welcome to my world--or our world. I rarely go to the giant walkaround tastings because they are not conducive to learning. Sure, one can always cherrypick the wines, but then you wind up in the fifty-foot long Screaming Eagle line--which I avoided earlier this week up in Oakville.

But what I really wanted to say, other than stop reviewing wines, that is my job unless you want me to start writing comedy, is that Steve and I recently attended a Mt. Veeder event. Aside from the fact that there were only a couple of dozen wineries and that it was possible to get to every table and to have a brief chat with the winemaker and therefore a great event, the real reason for this note is to second your comments about Lagier-Meredith Malbec and to add that there are also other very good Malbecs from Mt. Veeder.

I am not much of a fan of what Malbec has produced to date here in California, but maybe Mt. Veeder will help lift its status here just as the Sierra Foothills are lifting the status of Barbera.

You're funny. People have been talking about P. S. I Love You since lover letters began. There's a reason Petite Sirah has a fan club, and - of course - we're missing you at the meetings. You've got to get over it, Hosemaster. If Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Blanc can intertwine to produce Cabernet Sauvignon, so could Syrah and Peloursin produce something really tasty. I know that I've accomplished more than either of my late, great parents individually. It took the two of them to produce something that would supersede their wildest dreams. Come on over to the dark (and delicious) side. It doesn't hurt. Jo

Charlie,Oh, I absolutely want you to start writing comedy. As for reviewing wines, I do that for my own jollies. It gives me the chance to babble about wine, and my experiences with wine. I've always thought that a sort of leisurely discussion of wine, the way we speak about wine when we're among peers, is too often missing from the wine world. It's not educational, especially, but perhaps points out the value of experience and perspective. Plus, I like to listen to myself think about this crap.

Jo,I had a feeling I'd hear from you. Of course, as you know, Cabernet Sauvignon was a natural cross, whereas PS was man-made. Perhaps if you'd been created in vitro using random eggs and sperm, your argument might be valid. Though random eggs and sperm might make a hearty breakfast, it might not make for any sort of superhuman.

I like PS. But no one believes it is nearly as great a grape as Syrah. And yet it has your fan club, where Syrah has none. Sad. And, no, I'm not starting one.

All wine tastes better with your pants off. Maybe not so much in the winter. But it's worth a try.

I like Petite Shiraz, though it does tend to be a little on the one dimensional side. Malbec leans that way too. When you find a good one its great. Luckily people are making PS now that doesn't leave your tongue with the impression it was just hit with a two by four, or been in a WWF meet. Ah, the good old days. Taste on!

Luther Burbank is responsible for a ton of crosses, too, just not wine grapes (not genetically modified, just crossed to bring us better living. PS = a grape that's not prone to powdery mildew, but is prone to bunch rot... Not much of a problem here, but could take down an entire vineyard in France, where rain is just part of the landscape.

http://www.wschsgrf.org/luther-burbank-gold-ridge-experiment-farm

"Luther Burbank bought his 15-acre farm on Gold Ridge in 1885 in Sebastopol. During his career he introduced over 800 varieties of fruits, flowers, vegetables, and grains. He developed many of California's plums and prunes, the ancestor of the Idaho Potato, the Shasta Daisy, and novelties such as Plumcots, Thornless Blackberry, and Spineless Cactus."

Jo,I didn't say I don't like Petite Sirah, I simply said that it doesn't belong in the same conversation as Syrah when one is talking about great wines. As for your Burbank analogy, well, that's comparing plumcots to vinifera. Petite Sirah is just as good to eat as Syrah, but ferment it, and, well, you know the rest. It shows a lot more of its Peloursin side of the family, than its Syrah side.

And, well, it's no Alicante Bouschet either. Yet another stellar cross. Or Pinotage. Yes, those manmade crosses are so revered and collectible.

Thanks for your further comments about some of the wines tasted at the recent Rhone Rangers tasting. It is always 'challenging' to traverse a course through 'larger' tastings, but one of the nice things about the Rhone Rangers tastings is that they are not overly crowded affairs, nor have they ever been. That is partially intentional - it is important to have the time to meander around and try ones you may never have been exposed to, as well as touching base with those producers who you've had in the past.

I've had a chance to try a few of the McLaren syrahs and I'm a fan as well - quality stuff indeed! And you are absolutely correct - why wines such as these aren't 'killing it' for the $$$ makes no sense. To me, syrah still offers some of the greatest value in CA wines, and hopefully it will remain that way.

It is possible to get great quality stuff in the $20-25 range and not notch stuff in the $35-50 range - something you cannot say for cab, that's for sure . . .

And Steve and Carole continue to kill it year in and year out. The only 'problem' with their wines is keeping your hands off of them long enough to truly develop into the stellar wines they become with more bottle time.

As far as PS goes, there's no need to knock it around. As you know, the variety has been here longer than you and I combined, and it will continue to produce top notch stand alone wines as well as being used as a blending component for decades to come. Should it have it's own fan club? Why not? Should Syrah? Why not?

The 'challenge' with these individual 'groups' is that they stand the chance of causing 'splintering', where a larger organization such as Rhone Rangers is not as 'strong' as it could be should they work in tandem. Just something to consider . . .

Thanks again for spotlighting this event and these wines - I for one truly appreciate it!

I've been on the hunt for (is there such a think in Cali) Domestic Cold Climate Syrah like you find in France with it's bigger bolder flavors and cracked black pepper in your face. Are you aware of such a thing? We used to have those wines back in the 80's and 90's.

I would presume I would find it in RRV, Central Coast, or maybe Oregon? Or is it more about Terroir of N. Rhone and we are just not going to find it here?

Does it bother anyone else when you read Shiraz when not referring to Aussie? or Petite Syrah and Petite Shiraz - drives me crazy =D - different thing people, not the same.

Enjoyable writing none the less and just as enjoyable comments. Thanks.

"Steve Lagier was serving three vintages of their Mt. Veeder Syrah, the ’02, ’11, and ’12. Out of curiosity, I looked up the Parker scores for the wines, and the Lagier Meredith 2011 Syrah received the lowest score of any Lagier Meredith Syrah -- 90 pts. I was surprised, really. I thought this was lovely Syrah, and very reminiscent of Parker’s beloved Northern Rhône wines."

Maybe the answer to your disappointment with the Parker score is because he no longer reviews the West Coast Syrahs.

Larry,As for Petite Sirah, well, knocking around is what I do, in case you hadn't noticed. Again, I don't particularly hate PS, I just don't particularly like it, collect it, or open it on a regular basis. Not when there's so damned much great Syrah to drink.

Zin does fine on at its own tasting, PS seems to do fine, why not Syrah? I doubt it would splinter Rhone Rangers much. No matter. Everyone bitches about how poorly Syrah sells, yet no one wants to advocate for its greatness, spotlight it. Seems a shame.

Thanks, Larry, for your thoughtful remarks.

Unknown,Well, CA is not the Rhone Valley. That said, there are dazzling cool climate Syrah in CA--I think Peay and some of the Ojai Vineyard bottlings, and I'm sure there are others. But the best Syrahs I've tasted lately have been from Walla Walla--much more of what you're looking for there, I think.

Bob,I was only referring to the score of the 02, which Parker assigned. Surprised me, but so it goes.

To me, Syrah bears resemblance to males. After tasting different Syrahs, I saw flash-cards waving in front of my lens, cards that showed such words on traits of male personality like dull one-note, overbearingly one-note, headily one-note, vacuously one-note and dopey one-note. But some could be elevated to delightful companions when you merged them with delectable food. And of course, there’re the prince-charming Syrahs of ecstasy.

Thanks Hosemaster for recommending the few local Syrahs, and your writing on them fails to lack in ingenuity.

Thanks for the reinforcement comments on MacLaren. I joined one of my few wine clubs after reading your post a year or so ago. He sounded just enough off the normal path to sample. I have not been disappointed with the choice. He knows his wines and you don't often get to talk in depth with the winemaker who has a strong Scottish accent.

Mike,No need to apologize for being "late." No such thing in the blog biz. Glad you decided to be a common tater.

And glad you weren't disappointed with MacLaren's wines, especially if my words had something to do with your joining his wine club. I don't kid myself at all--I know that if I have any kind of influence in the wine world, it is tinier than arsenic's. And, honestly, I'd be flabbergasted if I did have any power. I wouldn't know what to do. I'd certainly abuse it.

Steve Law is a character. A great guy, unpretentious, fun-loving, and does a great Sean Connery impression. It's like Mike Grgich has a twin.

Subscribe to the HoseMaster via Email

Believe It or Not

You Like Me, You Really Like Me!

About Me

After 19 years as a Sommelier in Los Angeles, twice named Sommelier of the Year by the Southern California Restaurant Writers' Association, I moved to Sonoma County to explore the other aspects of the wine business. I've spent, OK wasted, 35 years learning about and teaching about and swallowing wine. I am also a judge at the Sonoma Harvest Fair, San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition and the San Francisco International Wine Competition--so I can spit like a rabid llama. I know more about wine than David Sedaris and I'm funnier than James Laube. Stay tuned for an informed but jaded view of everything wine and everything else.

Follow the HoseMaster

What the Critics Are Saying About HoseMaster of Wine

"If you want a great hoot and howl moment or two...go read the HoseMaster's year-end reflections...that guy is without a doubt the funniest SOB in the blog-world...and thank him for having the brains and balls to target his laser of laughter on anybody...HoseMaster for President...HoseMaster for Blogger of the Year...although he would be the first to say the bar is so damn low for that award, he should win it every year..."--Robert Parker

"...With sometimes crude analogies and occasional droppings of f-bombs, Washam cleverly uses satire to expose the underbelly of the wine business. It's often hilarious stuff as long as you're not the one being lampooned.Washam takes no prisoners in skewering all that is silly, stupid, frustrating and pretentious about wine, and his favorite targets are other bloggers and writers. No one is immune."

--Linda Murphy in "Vineyard and Winery Management"

"No one is immune from California sommelier and wine judge Ron Washam's skewering. He polishes that skewer with boundless enthusiasm and acuity."--JancisRobinson.com

"How do you introduce Ron Washam, the Hosemaster of Wine? Two things:

First: I’m not sure if there is anyone better at cutting through the confidence trick that is often intrinsic to the business of wine.

Second: in a world where offending people appears to border on the illegal, the Hosemaster piles in. No one is safe."

--Joss Fowler "Vinolent.com"

"As serious as the world of wine is, it does allow time for humor. Each Monday and Thursday, Ron Washam customarily posts a commentary on his needling wine blog HoseMaster of Wine. Washam, a former sommelier and comedy writer – he might say they are closely related – is the most opinionated, humorous and ribald observer in the wine world. His body of work is irreverent and remorseless. It’s almost always satire and parody, though he occasionally drifts into straight commentary, sometimes even with tasting notes. This past year, one of his posts was named the best of the year in the Wine Blog Awards. His success has spawned several imitations, which in their awkwardness show just how difficult satire is."

"Please let this guy write the scripts for Saturday Night Live which has gotten so lame...his newest "wisdom" is worth an Emmy....I wonder if he is the genius behind all those Hitler/Parker,etc. clips? No one else is remotely as funny or as talented.And the wine world sure needs someone to poke fun at all the nonsense and phoney/baloney unsufferable crap out there."

--Robert Parker

"Washam uses his own blog, HoseMaster of Wine, to skewer the industry in general and wine blogs in particular. If your mouse scoots to your browser's close box while reading a wine blog, Washam may be the blogger for you."

--San Francisco Chronicle

"Ron Washam, former sommelier, is easily the most bitingly funny blogger/wine writer that we have ever come across. He is an equal opportunity crusader who pillories big wineries and amateur bloggers alike, as well as everything and everyone in between...One needs a sense of humor and a tolerance for earthiness to enjoy reading The Hosemaster. We must have both because this guy deserves a wider audience, in our humble opinion."--Connoisseurs' Guide to California Wine

"In my opinion, and that of many others, his blog is one of the best. And in terms of satirical or parodic wine blogs, it has no peer. Ron’s alert eye catches every pretense and skewers it with laugh out loud mercilessness."

--Steve Heimoff

"This site should carry a warning label. It's sort of a Dave Barry/George Carlin approach to wine. The Hosemaster (real name Ron Washam) skewers fellow bloggers and industry savants with glee, while offering hilarious wine guides such as his Honest Guide to Grapes..."

--Paul Gregutt, Seattle Times

"Washam is a skilled wine judge (I have judged with him) who is willing to judge wine double blind, in public. To my knowledge, Parker does not do this and never has. So Ron's credentials are in place, and so is his sense of the absurd."

--Dan Berger, VintageExperiences

"...I consider Ron a very talented writer and I’ve long been an admirer of his scathing wit..."

--1WineDude

"And if any free sites think they can conquer the world, there’s always the Hosemaster to take ‘em down a notch."

--Tyler Colman "Dr. Vino"

"Those of you who know Ron either love or hate him, because he throws jabs like a punch drunk boxer, and we’re all in the firing line. He’ll throw them if he hates you, and he’ll throw them if he loves you. He’s a satirist of exceptional quality."

--Jo Diaz "Juicy Tales by Jo Diaz"

"I must say you are an idiot. I've never liked you. I have no idea why people find you funny."

--Reign of Terroir

"Robert (Joseph) was/is funny unlike HoseMaster who wasn't/isn't."

--Will Lyons (WSJ) on Twitter

"Hey Ron, let me ask you: is it true that you pick on girls and old critics because you don't think that they'll come back at you? Because if so, you lose: I'm on your ass now, asshole."